Commission adopts Regulation automatically approving aid for jobs and growth

The European Commission has adopted a Regulation, which will come into force in the coming weeks, giving automatic approval for a range of aid measures and so allowing Member States to grant such aid without first notifying the Commission. The Regulation authorises aid in favour of SMEs, research, innovation, regional development, training, employment and risk capital. The Regulation also authorises environmental protection aid, aid measures promoting entrepreneurship, such as aid for young innovative businesses, aid for newly created small businesses in assisted regions, and measures tackling problems, like difficulties in access to finance, faced by female entrepreneurs. As well as encouraging Member States to focus their state resources on aid that will be of real benefit to job creation and Europe's competitiveness, the Regulation reduces the administrative burden for public authorities, the beneficiaries and the Commission. This new General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER) consolidates into one text and harmonises the rules previously existing in five separate Regulations, and enlarges the categories of state aid covered by the exemption. It will take effect 20 days after publication in the Official Journal, allowing Member States to grant better targeted aid immediately.

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Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner for Competition Policy -  Introductory remarks at press conference on adoption of General Block Exemption Regulation for State Aid

To read the adopted document, see section II. New legislation of this Newsletter